PDC Ships head for corners
 

I built several PDC ships to accompany a troop transport to a planet with multiple missle platforms. I also sent a DUC ship. I had set the empire fleet orders to break formation. The fleet orders were capture planet. The PDC and DUC ships were set to optimum range. The troop ship's orders were capture planet.

In the replay, the DUC ship approached the planet and was eliminated. The PDC ships headed for the corners and didn't move. After the DUC ship was eliminated, the troop ship approached the planet and was lost with all aboard %^(

I had no other weapons on the PDC ships (but did have shields). Would they have gone to the planet with the troop ship had I placed another weapon on them, or would the troop ship have waited until all of the weapons platforms were destroyed before dropping troops.

This is in only the second simultaneous game I've played, so I haven't had much time to experiment. Can anyone give me some advice?

Thanks...Greybeard

Re: PDC Ships head for corners
 

pdc must have a small weapon to advance.

If they do not they will retreat. Always make sure you place a small 1 repeat weapon on a pdc ship.

Re: PDC Ships head for corners
 

Yes, PD ships need a weapon in order to draw them into the fight.

As to the planet capture, do a forum search. There has been lots of descussion about this in strategic combat. I just can't remember any of it right now!

Re: PDC Ships head for corners
 

Guess that's what those DU-Autocannons are for in P&N http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif

Re: PDC Ships head for corners
 

The reason they head for the corners, is that they have nothing to shoot at. Remember, those missiles are still in the weapon platform missile bays. By putting some sort of direct fire weapon on the PDC ships, they now have something to shoot at-- a whole planet!

Kim

Re: PDC Ships head for corners
 

Based on what is said here:
1) Put a Direct Fire weapon, (here after refered to as: DFW) on the Aegis ship
1A) Make sure the range of the DFW does not exceed the range of the Point Defence Cannons
or that the strategy will bring the ship close enough to fire the PDC to reach the planet surface.
1B) Keep in mind that the planet may have other weapons. You may want to put shields on the transports.
2) Make sure the DFW has a fire rate of "1" so the Aegis ships do not withdraw when they can't fire
3) Make sure the strategy is not set to "Do Not Fire On Planets"
4) Make sure the strategy is set to "Damage The Target Untill All Weapons are Gone"
5) Make sure the shield / Armor can withstand 3 hits by Capital Ship Missles, (CSM)

Queston:
If the DFW is knocked out, will the Aegis ship run for the cornors?

Opinion:
Never Glass a Planet
When fighitng against AI,
It is too easy.

Re: PDC Ships head for corners
 

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Yep, you bet... unless there are missiles available as targets.

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Amen!

Re: PDC Ships head for corners
 

&lt; making notes &gt;
This all explains a lot.
Thanks folks

Re: PDC Ships head for corners
 

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Why would you do that? The PD ship might as well help taking the Weapon platforms down. Note that all warships will stop firing at the planet, once the WPs are down and the Troop Transport closes in.

A good weapon for the PD ship is planet napalm, IMHO. Makes sure it gets close to intercept the missiles and has a good punch at the WPs.

and don't forget:

6) Make sure your fleet has the Capture planet strategy.

Rollo

Re: PDC Ships head for corners
 

Rollo,
You are correct. I was thinking along the lines of not accidentaly glassing a planet but a WP will take more than a low level weapon can dishout.

Re: PDC Ships head for corners
 

Gryphin, yes. But as I said, I have never seen a planet accidently glassed, if a troop transport was present and the fleet had the correct orders. As to the size the weapon, planet napalm 3 on large mounts (LC and up) can wipe out the platforms real fast.

Rollo

Re: PDC Ships head for corners
 

Oooops,
Um, PaladinOfEarth ,
I'm sorry to be responding to Rollo when addressed to you.

I'm still trying to master Planetary Invasion. I frequently end up with a fleet or ships that will not attack the planet at all.

Can anybody tell me what Stratigic orders will prevent:
My troop ships from attacking an un armed planet
A well armed Frigate from attacking a helpless mine layer

Thanks

Re: PDC Ships head for corners
 

A few words of warning on Planetary Napalm: the ROF is 2, and the maximum range is 2. Which can make a napalm-armed ship vulnerable to weapon platform fire (unless you take out the WP's with the first volley).

Re: PDC Ships head for corners
 

Fleet strategy vs. Ship strategy.

Combat is more successful when ships can break fleet orders. Especially when the fleet leader is stopped dead.

Make sure the ship carrying the troops is set to the capture planet strategy. It might help you to set all of your transports to capture planets, just in case you use one for troops.

Be carefull with the quantity of seeker weapons you bring along. Generally, a full volley of seekers will be fired against a target. A low population planet can be glassed by the overkill.

Re: PDC Ships head for corners
 

IIRC, you have to include at least one other direct-fire weapon on a ship carrying planetary napalm. I tried creating PN-only DS and LC and sending them to a planet without WPs, and they sat. Didn't run, just sort of wiggled around. When I put a DUC I on them, they went straight for the planet.

Re: PDC Ships head for corners
 

Something else for planet capture: set your 'Capture Planet' strategy to 'Damage targets until all weapons are gone', and use direct-fire weapons to knock out weapon platforms. Once the planet itself is defenseless, your fleet will stop firing on it. This does not work with seekers, since your fleet may launch a volley of missiles that can glass the planet before the planet is considered defenseless (the game doesn't calculate how much ordnance is needed to just knock out defenses).

Quikngruvn